Eligible Borrowers, authorized by Montana law, may borrow to finance projects including but not limited to:

• Energy Retrofit Projects
• Real property purchase & improvements
• New and used equipment of all kinds
• New and used vehicles of all kinds
• Water, wastewater, and solid waste projects
• Preliminary engineering and grant writing work
• Interim financing for construction or cash-flow loans
• Rural and special improvement district projects
• Street maintenance district projects

The Montana Indian Language Program (MILP) demonstrates the State of Montana’s continued commitment to support efforts of Montana tribes to preserve and perpetuate Indian languages in the form of spoken, written, sung or signed language and to assist in the preservation and curricular goals of Indian education for all. The State of Montana recognizes Indian languages as vital to the identity of tribal nations and the state.

Activities may include:

• Language classes
• Language immersion camps
• Storytelling, songs
• Publication of literature
• Language programs, workshops, seminars, camps and other presentations in formal or informal settings

The MicroBusiness Finance Program (MBFP) administers funding for the certified MicroBusiness Development Corporations (MBDCs) located across Montana.

Qualified microbusinesses work directly with the MBDC, which:

• Provides loans up to $100,000 to qualified microbusinesses;
• Provides training and technical assistance to qualified microbusinesses; &
• Underwrites and services their microloan portfolios

The Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund (WP RLF) provides loans to businesses in the wood products industry to create or retain jobs, targeting areas where timber jobs are most threatened, particularly in counties with lumber mills and other related facilities.  WP RLF loans are available from two distinct programs: State Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund (State WP RLF) and Economic Development Administration Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund (EDA WP RLF).

The Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program’s goal is to accomplish large-scale restoration of private and publicly owned high-priority wildlife habitats through noxious weed management. Grant expenditures are limited to herbicides and additives, biological control agents, materials required for restoration seeding or prescribed grazing management, and associated treatment and installation services.

 

The Community Pond program enhances fishing opportunities in or near Montana communities by providing funds that may be used to construct or improve public fishing ponds.

FWP provides Montana outlying school districts grant funds to visit Montana WILD – Education Center located in Helena, Montana. Grants are for transportation and/or lodging costs only.  Only the participating school may be reimbursed.  Third party vendors cannot be paid directly.

The Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program helps agricultural producers enter into value-added activities related to the processing and marketing of new products. The goals of this program are to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities and increase producer income.

Grant and matching funds can be used for planning activities or for working capital expenses related to producing and marketing a value-added agricultural product. Examples of planning activities include conducting feasibility studies and developing business plans for processing and marketing the proposed value-added product. Examples of working capital expenses include:

• Processing costs.
• Marketing and advertising expenses.
• Some inventory and salary expenses.

This program offers loan guarantees to rural businesses.

Eligible uses include (but are not limited to):

• Business conversion, enlargement, repair, modernization or development.
• The purchase and development of land, easements, rights-of-way, buildings or facilities.
• The purchase of equipment, leasehold improvements, machinery, supplies or inventory.
• Debt refinancing when refinancing improves cash flow and creates jobs.
• Business and industrial acquisitions when the loan will maintain business operations and create or save jobs.

 

The Distance Learning and Telemedicine program helps rural communities use the unique capabilities of telecommunications to connect to each other and to the world, overcoming the effects of remoteness and low population density. For example, this program can link teachers and medical service providers in one area to students and patients in another.

In March 2018, Congress explicitly appropriated an additional $20 million for the DLT Program in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Pub. L. 115-141, § 775 (2018) “to help address the opioid epidemic in rural America.”  Approximately half of this funding was awarded in FY 2018 to DLT projects that had opioid treatment as their primary purpose.

Grant funds may be used for:

• Acquisition of eligible capital assets, such as:
  • Broadband transmission facilities
  • Audio, video and interactive video equipment
  • Terminal and data terminal equipment
  • Computer hardware, network components and software
  • Inside wiring and similar infrastructure that further DLT services
• Acquisition of instructional programming that is a capital asset
• Acquisition of technical assistance and instruction for using eligible equipment